Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Strong Hearts
by XFangHeartX
Summary: The tale of Tory, a boy who was turned into a Rockruff as he finds himself lost and alone in the Pokemon world while avoiding the clutches of an evil witch. Read and review, and no flames or hate, please
1. Prologue and Ch 1- The Arrival

POKÉMON MYSTERY DUNGEON:

STRONG HEARTS

* * *

Pokemon © Nintendo, Game Freak

Story and characters © Me

* * *

Summary- Based off the comic that I created. When a boy named Tory finds himself transported to the world of Pokemon in the body of a Rockruff, he must find a way to get himself back home while avoiding the clutches of an evil witch. However, it seems there might be a reason why Tory was brought to this world in the first place.

* * *

 _A long time ago, back when I was small, my parents would tell me stories of a Pokemon that was once a human..._

 _He saved our world from certain disaster and protected many innocents. He was beloved by all and revered as a hero. These days, though, his name has faded away into legend. Some say that he didn't even exist._

 _Then, one day, things changed...Pokemon were going out of control and attacking innocent folk. Homes were destroyed, lands ravaged...and lives were beginning to dwindle._

 _All one can do is hope...and sometimes, hope comes in the most unlikely of ways._

 _Of course...that's only if one believes in such a thing._

 **~Prologue~**

It was a dark, windy night. The leaves rustled in the trees and the Hoothoot were flying about, making their calls. The Kricketot and Kricketune were gently chirping away and the Volbeat were floating about with their hindquarters glowing in the night.

However, the night seemed anything but peaceul.

Somewhere, in the highest tower of a stone castle, there sits a Delphox with the mark of a crescent moon on her thighs, sitting at a desk while writing on some parchment with a Staraptor quill and the light of a candle. As she wrote, she heard a knock on the door behind her, causing her to growl in irritation as she heard it open, revealing a small, timid, and rather pathetic-looking Eevee with bandages wrapped around the right side of his face, covering his eye. By the looks of it, he looked quite young...in fact, he seemed about eight or so.

"M-Milady!" he exclaimed. "I'm sorry to bother-"

"LEAVE. NOW," the Delphox hissed as she glared at him. "I'm starting to lose my patience with you, boy!"

"A-a thousand pardons, milady," said the Eevee, "but-"

"But WHAT?!" the Delphox questioned.

"The...the boy, milady," the Eevee stammered. "Shazar says he'll be here, soon."

The Delphox's eyes went wide...before a toothy grin suddenly creased across her muzzle.

"I see..." she said with a wicked chuckle. "Excellent, then." She then pulled away from her desk and approached the window, her paws folded behind her back. "Bartholomew, my dear...please go and alert the scouts. Someone should go out and welcome our new guests..." She then gave another chuckled while the Eevee, Bartholomew, bowed his head.

"Y-yes, milady," he said before he closed the door.

 **Chapter 1- The Arrival**

"Ugh..."

His eyes slowly opened his eyes and saw nothing but the blue sky and green leaves over his head. At first, he didn't seem to think much of it...but then he gasped as he sat up, panting heavily as he did so. As his vision began to clear up, he noticed something strange: instead of a pair of bare hands, he saw brown paws and tanned fur.

 _'Hey, wait...fur...and paws? Since when did I...?!'_ He then glanced back at his hindquarters...where he saw a grayish-white, bushy, curly-Q tail sticking out. _'And where'd this tail come from?!'_

He then gasped as he began to process the truth: he had become a Pokemon...a Rockruff, at that!

"No...no, no!" he cried. "This isn't happening! This isn't real! I-I'm dreaming! Y-yeah, that's it! I'm dreaming, and I'll wake up soon!" He paused for a moment. "...Very...soon..."

An even longer pause.

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEY!" he shouted. "MOM?! DAD?! RUSTY?! GRAMMA, GRAMPA! ARE YOU OUT THERE?! IT'S ME, TORY! SOMEBODY, PLEASE ANSWER ME!"

But no answer did come...and the boy's heart sank into his stomach.

"...No," he muttered. "I'm alone...all alone!" On that, he sniffed as tears formed in his eyes, then he whimpered as he lied down on the grass, curling up into a ball of fur. "M-Mom...Dad...Rusty...Gramma, Grandpa...! I'm scared!"

On that, Tory soon broke down crying...all alone in this vast forest. Or at least, that's what he thought.

Soon, he heard the sound of a loud twig snap, causing him to gasp as he looked up at some nearby bushes, which were rustling.

"H-hello?" asked Tory as he wiped his eyes. "Is somebody there? Can you please help me?"

A pause...but then, a long, brown-furred paw stepped from the bushes, followed by a deep growling sound, which caused Tory to gasp as he backed away, for it was revealed to be a pair of Mightyena, one of which was a shiny one with some sort of lavender tag around his neck that bore a crescent moon.

"W-who are you?!" he asked.

"You do not need to know my name, boy," said the shiny Mightyena. "All you need to know is that we are under orders to capture you."

"C-capture me?" Tory repeated. "Why?!"

"That is none of your concern!" the shiny Mightyena barked. "Now...come quietly. Resist...and it won't be pretty."

Soon, three more Mightyena appeared from the foliage, growling viciously and licking their chops.

"Don't even THINK about running away," said the shiny Mightyena. "There's five of us and only one of you. You're surrounded."

Tory whimpered as he looked all around, only to be met with gnashing fangs and glowing red eyes.

"So...what's it gonna be, Tory?" asked the shiny Mightyena. "Surrender and live...or flee and die. Your choice."

Tory whimpered as he looked around...but then he spotted an opening between the two Mightyena coming from his left. Then he glanced toward the shiny Mightyena, who growled as he began to advance, as well. Then, he put on a determined face as he stood to his paws.

"I choose," he started, "to flee...AND LIVE!"

He then darted to the left and barely managed to duck under one of the Mightyena, who were unable to grab him before he ran deeper into the forest.

"Don't just stand there, you idiots!" the shiny Mightyena barked. "Get him!"

"Yes, boss!" answered the other Mightyena as they soon began to give chase. As for Tory, he panted as he ran as fast as he could, screaming at the top of his lungs while the pack chased after him.

"HELP ME!" he cried out. "GET THEM AWAY! SOMEONE!"

But meanwhile, not too far away, inside a cave in the forest, an Arcanine was curled up on the floor, snoring away as he slept. However, as he kept sleeping, he soon heard the sound of screaming, causing him to be roused from his slumber.

"SOMEONE, HELP ME!"

"Hmm?" the Arcanine hummed before he got to his paws, stretched his back and legs and gave a loud yawn before he walked out of the cave with an irritated grumble. "Cripes...who in the hell is screaming at this time of day?"

That's when he noticed Tory, running through the forest with the Mightyena pack still in hot pursuit.

"What the...?" the Arcanine muttered. "Who the hell is that kid?"

"HELP!" Tory cried as he kept running. "HELP ME, PLEASE! SOMEONE!"

The Arcanine blinked before he growled and began to run after the pack. As for Tory, he attempted to climb up over a hollow log that sat upon an overhang, but then, one of the regular-colored Mightyena clamped his jaws on his tail before pulling him down to the ground.

"Oof!" Tory cried as he felt his chin hit the ground.

"Hehehe!" laughed the Mightyena as he held Tory in his mouth by the tail. "Got him, boss!"

"Excellent," said the shiny Mightyena.

"H-hey, boss!" said the Mightyena next to him. "I'm hungry, boss! Let's eat him!"

"Yeah!" agreed one of his packmates, hungrily licking his chops. "I'll take a leg!"

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" the shiny Mightyena barked, causing his pack to tense up. "We are not eating the boy, you fools! We have our orders! Lady Selena wants him alive! After we bring the boy back to her, then we can eat!"

"B-but, boss, we're hungry!" the Mightyena holding Tory complained. "Can't we just-"

"I SAID **NO!** " the shiny Mightyena barked.

"Hold up."

The pack turned around to see the Arcanine from earlier approaching, his eyes dark and shadowy and his posture imposing. Tory gaped in quiet awe upon seeing the huge canine Pokemon, practically towering over the Mightyena, some of which seemed a bit intimidated by his presence. However, the shiny Mightyena showed no fear or hesitation at all.

"Who are you?" he asked. "If you won't speak, then leave! This has nothing to do with you."

"Oh, I beg to differ," the Arcanine countered. "You see...you guys are in _my_ turf."

"I see," said the shiny Mightyena. "Please forgive us. We will take the boy and leave as soon-"

"The kid stays here," the Arcanine interjected, to the surprise of Tory, the confusion of the Mightyena...and the ire of their leader, who narrowed his eyes at the fire-dog.

"Excuse me?" he asked.

"You heard me," said the Arcanine. "The kid's not going anywhere." He then raised his head...revealing a scar going down his right eye, and a further look saw that it kept going down his right side.

"Now... **GET. LOST,** " the Arcanine growled as his hackles began to rise. "I MEAN IT!"

 **ABILITY ACTIVATED: INTIMIDATE**

The Mightyena that was holding Tory by the tail gasped in fright, so much so, that the dropped the pup on the ground. As soon as Tory was free, he looked up and saw the Arcanine beginning to fight the Mightyena pack off. A couple of them were already on the ground while the shiny Mightyena and two others were jumping at him from all sides, biting and clawing at him, savagely, only to get knocked away by his huge paws. The one that held Tory captive did manage to leave a sharp bite on the Arcanine's right front paw, but that only made him angrier. Before he could escape, the Arcanine grabbed him by the tail.

"Why you...!" the shiny Mightyena growled as he lunged for the burly dog with fangs sparking with electricity. "DIE!"

The Arcanine growled before he swung the Mightyena in his mouth at the leader, and because of the sheer force...he ended up ripping his tail right off.

"AAAAGH!" the Mightyena howled as he slammed into his boss, who both landed on the grass, his now stubby tail dripping with blood. During the commotion, Tory soon got up and hid behind the Arcanine, who growled as he held the severed tail of the Mightyena in his mouth before he spat it out.

"Consider that a warning!" the Arcanine shouted. "The kid stays here with me...and if you ever come after him again while I'm around, I'll see to it that you lose more than just a damn tail!"

"Damn you...!" the shiny Mightyena cursed.

" **NOW BEAT IT!** " the Arcanine ordered.

"This. ISN'T. Over," the shiny Mightyena growled before he turned and walked away. "LET'S GO!"

On that, his pack, beaten and battered, followed after him, the one with his tail ripped off still whimpering.

"And stop your impertinent whining, Loki," said the leader. "You still have some of your tail left."

As the pack left, Tory only blinked after them as he watched them depart.

"Hey, kid," the Arcanine spoke up, causing Tory to look up. "You okay?"

"Oh!" Tory replied as he looked down to the ground, somewhat nervously. "Y-yeah, I guess so."

"Good," the Arcanine said as he began to limp away. "See ya later, kid."

"Huh?" Tory muttered in surprise. "W-wait, what?! But-"

"I only helped you because I happened to be nearby," said the Arcanine.

"But what if those Mightyena come back?!" Tory asked, worriedly.

"They're not," said the Arcanine. "I made sure of it. Now go home."

Tory gasped silently...before he growled in frustration, so much so, that tears began to form in his eyes again.

"I WOULD GO HOME IF I KNEW HOW TO!" he shouted, causing the Arcanine to freeze in his tracks and glance back at him. "...I don't know where I am...or how I got here..." He then started sniffling. "All I know is that for some reason, I'm being chased, and that I somehow turned into a Rockruff!" He then began to break down sobbing. "I...I...I WANNA GO HOOOOME! I WANT MY MOMMY!"

Upon hearing the poor pup's heartbroken cries, the Arcanine suddenly felt his heart sink with guilt as he heaved a small sigh.

 _'Great...'_ he thought, and not long after, he heard a rumbling sound coming from the skies above, causing him to look up and see gray clouds beginning to form, and not long after, raindrops began to pelt the earth. Then, the Arcanine looked down at Tory, who sniffled as he wiped his eyes.

"...Hey, kid," said the Arcanine with a gentle smile, causing Tory to look up at him. "You think we can, maybe...get outta the rain?"

Tory blinked up at his savior before he smiled up at him and nodded his head.

"Okay then," said the Arcanine. "Let's go."

On that, he led Tory back to his cave.

"You got a name?"

"It's Tory."

"Hey, Tory. I'm Trent."

"Trent? That's...really cool."

"Yeah...it is, huh?"

 **~PMD~**

Inside Trent's cave, the Arcanine and Rockruff sat within the cavern, both of them looking outside as they watched the rain fall with no sign of stopping.

"Well, Tory, get comfy," Trent said, a green leaf wrapped around his paw from when Loki bit him. "I doubt this is gonna let up, anytime soon."

Suddenly, he heard another rumbling sound...but this one was not coming from the clouds in the sky, but rather, from the belly of a little Rockruff who was curled up beside him, glancing down at the cave floor in slight embarrassment. Trent only chuckled as he stood up and walked away for a moment.

"Wait right there," he told him as he left, then after a few seconds, he returned holding a folded up leaf in his mouth, which he put down and opened up to reveal several berries and an apple inside. "I was gonna save these for myself, but I think you better have 'em. Go ahead, dig in."

And dug in, Tory did. He noisily scarfed down the berries faster than one could even blink, and Trent just watched with a warm smile on his face. Before too long, Tory had finished eating and was lying on the cave floor with a rounded tummy. All that was left was some crumbs and an apple core.

"Wow," Trent said in slight surprise. "You sure were hungry, weren't you kid?"

His only response was a slight burp from Tory, which caused Trent to chuckle. As Tory was beginning to relax, he couldn't help noticing the scars on Trent's side and eye. They looked rather deep, as well, not to mention quite old.

"...Hey Trent?" asked Tory. "Where did you get your scars from?"

"Huh?" Trent muttered before he realized what he meant. "Oh, these? I, uh...I did something stupid."

Tory blinked at the Arcanine before he simply decided to ask about it a bit later.

"Anyway," Trent began, "now that you're full, I think it's time we thought of a plan. We know this much: you're lost and you're being chased. Why, we don't know. And as far as getting you back to...well, wherever you came from, I can't really help."

Tory looked down, feeling dispirited. He figured that would be the case.

"But I do know a place that can keep you safe," Trent said as he looked out the cave. "Not too far away from here is a village called Windfall Village. When you get there, you'll meet the guild master in charge: Ethan, leader of the Gallade Guild. Ethan is highly regarded throughout the land as a hero."

"A hero...!" Tory whispered with starry eyes.

"The Gallade Guild is a group of special 'mons that are known for exploring Mystery Dungeons," said Trent.

"What are Mystery Dungeons?" asked Tory.

"Mystery Dungeons are strange, mysterious places," Trent answered. "Some can be a bit harmless...but others can be dangerous."

Tory gulped nervously at that.

"Explorers often go to these places to find treasure, or to rescue lost Pokemon," Trent explained. "They even go to apprehend criminals."

"That's...amazing!" Tory exclaimed. "But...how do you know all that stuff?"

"Eh," Trent shrugged. "Word spreads quickly around here, that's all. Anyway, I'm sure Ethan will take you in. By tomorrow, this rain will lift, and we can start making the trip to Windfall Village. Who knows? Maybe they can help you get home."

Hearing that caused a hopeful smile to appear on the Rockruff's face.

"Once we get to the village," Trent continued, "I'm sure those Mightyena won't bother you. The trip will take at least 2 days, so you better get some rest, kiddo."

On that, Tory gave a big yawn before he curled up on the cave floor, closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep, while Trent smiled warmly at him.

 _'Tory, huh?'_ he thought. _'I never thought I'd see the day...that another human would come here.'_

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_

* * *

I decided I'm gonna try again with the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon stories. I actually hope we get another one, soon.

Review, please!


	2. Ch 2- The Journey

POKÉMON MYSTERY DUNGEON:

STRONG HEARTS

* * *

Pokemon © Nintendo, Game Freak

Story and characters © Me

* * *

 _Previously on Pok_ _émon Mystery Dungeon: Strong Hearts, a human boy named Tory has somehow been transported into the Pokémon World in the body of a Rockruff. Not long after, he is pursued by a pack of Mightyena who were tasked with capturing him and bringing him to someone named Selena._

 _Luckily for Tory, he is saved by an Arcanine named Trent, who effortlessly fights the ruffians off. Not long after, he takes Tory in and tells him of the Gallade Guild, an Explorer's guild located in Windfall Village. Knowing that the Mightyena might come back, Trent decides to take Tory to Windfall Village, where he will be safe and maybe find a way to return him back to his home in the human world. With that, the two rest for the journey ahead._

 _Why was Tory turned into a Pokémon? Why is he being pursued? Why does Trent seem to know so much about the Gallade Guild?_

 _Some questions may be answers, but more may be revealed..._

* * *

 **~Chapter 2: The Journey~**

* * *

As the rain continued to fall and day turned to night, all the Pokémon in Windfall Forest, save for the ones that slept during the day, had gone to sleep until morning. However, not every resident in the forest had gone to sleep, for under a hollow tree, it was revealed that the Mightyena pack had found shelter to wait out the storm. The leader growled in irritation as he watched the rain continue to pelt the ground before he turned and walked away from the entrance.

"Damn this rain..." he cursed as he looked to his pack, three members of which were lying around in boredom while Loki whimpered as he looked at the remains of his tail.

"Loki!" the lead Mightyena barked. "I thought I told you to stop your whining!"

"You try losing a tail!" Loki barked back, only for the leader to growl in his face, causing him to shrink back.

"Maybe you'd like to lose what's left OF YOURS!" he snapped.

"Uh...no thanks, Boss," said Loki with a nervous grin.

"I'm calling Lady Selena," said the lead Mightyena as his tag began to glow a lavender light.

 **~PMD~**

At Selena's castle, the Delphox sat in a chair, resting her chin in her paw while Bartholomew rubbed her feet. It almost looked as if she was about to doze off, when suddenly, a flashing light caused her to open her eyes before she glanced over at a glowing crystal ball on the table.

"Hmm..." she hummed. "Must be Thor calling."

She then reached over and picked up the crystal ball.

 **"Lady Selena, it's me, Thor,"** the lead Mightyena's voice spoke from the ball. **"I have news. We have found the boy."**

"Excellent," Selena smirked. "Now then...return to the castle, immediately."

 **"Err...y-yes, milady,"** said Thor, nervously. **"We...err...we would...but...umm...but-"**

"'But'?" Selena repeated as her smirk was soon replaced with a scowl, to Bartholomew's nervousness. "What do you mean, 'but'...?! You did find the brat, didn't you?!"

 **"We were about to apprehend him, milady,"** said Thor, **but then...he was...rescued."**

"Rescued?!" Selena repeated. "What do you mean, 'rescued'?! By whom?!"

 **"A meddling Arcanine fought us off!"** answered Thor. **"He was just too strong!"**

 **"And he bit off most of my tail!"**

 **"SHUT UP, LOKI!"**

"Rrrrrrrgh...!" Selena growled. "You...INCOMPETENT RODENTS!"

"P-please, milady, calm down!" Bartholomew cried. "There's no need to-"

"SILENCE!" Selena yelled as she kicked the poor Eevee in the face, throwing him to the floor with a large bruise on his cheek. "Can't you simpletons do anything right?! I give you all a simple task, and you FAILED! Now...I'll give you mutts another chance. Either come back with the boy..." Her eyes then flashed red as fire burst around her as she squeezed the crystal ball in her paws. "OR DON'T COME BACK AT AL!"

 **SMASH!** In her anger, she shattered the crystal ball in her claws before she panted heavily, then she sighed as she sat back into her chair.

"Bartholomew," she said, "get me another crystal ball, please."

"Yes, milady," Bartholomew answered as he limped off, holding his bruised cheek.

XXX

Back in Windfall Forest, Loki shook his head to relieve the headache he got from Selena screeching.

"Jeez, I wish that bitch would get a life," said Loki. "I mean, why should we listen to her, anyway? She's a Psychic-type!"

"She could also scorch off our faces," pointed out one of the Mightyena, causing Loki to gulp nervously.

"Touché," he muttered.

"Still, what does she even want that kid for?" asked one of the other Mightyena.

"It doesn't matter why," Thor replied. "We have our orders, and it's best we carry them out."

The other Mightyena glanced at each other before they all nodded their heads in agreement.

"Tonight, we rest," Thor said. "Tomorrow...we get that boy, and this time, not even that meddlesome Arcanine is going to get in our way."

XXX

Concurrently, out in the far reaches of outer space...

"Hmm...how curious..."

"WHAT'S WRONG?"

"Is it not obvious? It's a human."

"A HUMAN? IN OUR WORLD?"

"Yes, indeed..."

It is revealed to be a shiny Mew, lying lazily on his side while floating inside his bubble, and next to him was the humongous Rayquaza.

 **MEW**

 **Guardian of the Planet**

 **RAYQUAZA**

 **Guardian of the Sky**

"BUT WHY IS THERE A HUMAN IN THE POKEMON WORLD, ONCE AGAIN?" asked Rayquaza in a calm, yet booming voice. "I DO NOT UNDERSTAND IT."

"Neither do I," said Mew. "Our world has been at peace for quite some time now."

Rayquaza glanced down at the planet, thoughtfully while Mew yawned.

"This is obviously the work of that witch," he said. "So...what are you up to, this time...Selena?"

 **~PMD~**

The next morning, in Windfall Forest, Trent was sitting outside his cave, just starting to wake up. Soon after, he heard footsteps coming from behind him, causing him to turn and smile.

"Well, look who's awake!" he exclaimed, seeing that it was Tory, who beamed up at the Arcanine with a wagging tail. "G'morning, Tory. You eat, yet?"

"Mm-hmm!" Tory nodded.

"Good," Trent replied. "So...you ready to go?"

"I sure am!" Tory answered, eagerly.

"Then let's go," Trent began, "to Windfall Village!"

"Yeah!" cheered Tory as the duo began to head off down the path, straight for Windfall Village. As they walked, however, they didn't realize that they were being watched, for standing on the edge of a cliff was Thor and his pack, the former glowering down at the duo.

 _'So that's his plan, eh?'_ thought Thor.

"So? Where are they goin', Boss?" asked Loki while another Mightyena stood nearby, gnawing on a bone.

"Windfall Village, it seems," said Thor. "The Arcanine seeks to take the boy there, where he will have sanctuary." He then turned to face his pack. "If we don't intercept them, then capturing the boy will be a lot harder."

"You mean fight that crazy Arcanine again?!" Loki questioned in disbelief. "Are you nuts?! I ain't risking what's left of my tail for that!"

"Shut your mouth, Loki!" barked Thor. "Let me finish! Now listen...we're clearly no match for that Arcanine. We just need to get him away from the boy." He then gave a smug, toothy grin.

"So...here's what we'll do..."

 **~PMD~**

In the forest, a Pikipek hastily pecked his beak against the bark of a tree while Trent and Tory continued down the road. As they walked, Tory took the time to take a look at his surroundings. After everything that happened yesterday, everything seemed peaceful. The wind was blowing softly and the sky was clear and blue, not to mention the flowers were blooming in all kinds of colors.

 _'Everything looks so pretty,'_ thought Tory. _'Now that those Mightyena aren't chasing me, I feel like I can relax a little.'_

That's when he spotted something growing out of the ground. It looked like a root or tuber of some kind, but...the outside texture didn't look anything look like a plant. Instead, it looked rather...fleshy.

"Hey, Trent?" Tory asked. "What's this thing?"

"Huh?" Trent muttered as he looked back. "Oh! It looks like you found some meat tubers."

"What are meat tubers?" asked Tory.

"Well, you know how some Pokemon are carnivorous or something?" Trent asked. "Well, in some places, like Windfall Village, they don't really like Pokemon eating one of their own. They call it cannibalism, actually."

"...That is actually a little creepy," Tory admitted.

"So, to compensate," Trent began, "sometimes, explorers will go look for these things for predator-class Pokemon, like me or you, to eat. Meat tubers are only found in Mystery Dungeons, you see."

"...Do you ever eat them?" asked Tory.

"Sometimes, yeah," Trent replied. "Personally, I'm not a fan of the whole 'food chain' deal."

Suddenly, he was interrupting by a rumbling noise, causing him to look back at Tory in slight surprise.

"You're hungry, already?!" he asked.

"That wasn't me," Tory said as he tilted his head in confusion while the rumbling continued.

"...Wait..." Trent muttered as he looked to his left and gasped, for a rock slide was headed right for him and Tory!

"W-w-what is that?!" Tory questioned in fright.

"RUN, TORY!" Trent shouted, and the Rockruff dashed on ahead, and Trent tried to follow after him, dodging boulders as he did, but he stopped when more were about to fall right on top of his head. Left with no choice, Trent turned and ran back the way he came, narrowly avoiding the boulders as they finally stopped falling. As the dust cleared, however, the Arcanine gasped in shock as he found that the stones had formed a wall in front of them.

"Shit...!" he cursed. "Tory! Are you okay, over there?! Can you hear me?!"

"Yeah, I can hear you!" Tory answered. "I'm fine! A bit shaken, but otherwise okay!"

"You stay put, Tory, okay?!" Trent called. "I'm gonna see if I can leap over these!"

"You're not goin' anywhere, punk."

Trent turned and glared upon seeing Loki and the rest of the Mightyena pack...strangely without Thor leading them.

"Didja miss us?" asked Loki with a smug grin on his face, to which Trent responded with a smug grin of his own.

"Funny," he said. "I was just thinking about you...LOKI MCSTUBTAIL!"

"URK!" Loki grunted while his stubby tail twitched, while the rest of his packmates, despite trying their best not to, soon burst into laughter, much to his further ire. "SH-SHUT UP! IT'S NOT FUNNY! STOP LAUGHING!" He then glared up at Trent, who blinked at him curiously.

"And as for you..." Loki growled before he lunged at the Arcanine with glowing red eyes. "HOW ABOUT I RIP OFF YOUR TAIL, TOO, YOU GIANT FLEABAG?!"

"No, thank you," Trent said, nonchalantly as he easily stepped to the side, causing Loki to bash his lower jaw against the rock wall instead. However, it seemed that the rest of the Mightyena didn't take very kindly to this, for they began to growl and snarl at the Arcanine as their eyes started glowing red, as well.

"Hmph!" Trent scoffed. "Bunch of sensitive bitches, aren't you?"

On that, the pack lunged at Trent, who barked as he lunged back at them. As for Tory, he stood on the other side of the wall, watching worriedly as he started to hear the sound of vicious growling and yowls of pain.

"Trent?" Tory asked. "What's going on over there?!"

"I wouldn't worry about him..." a voice spoke, causing Tory to turn and see Thor approaching him. "My pack is just keeping your friend busy...but as for you, boy...I am taking you with me to Lady Selena's castle...and please don't run away. I'm TIRED."

Tory gasped as he began to back away from Thor, who growled as he continued to advance. The boy then glanced up at the rock wall, then to the path ahead of him, and finally back at Thor as the shiny Mightyena kept advancing. Realizing the circumstances, Tory realized he only had one choice...

...Run.

"AAAAAAAAAH!" Tory screamed as he fled, which prompted Thor to pursue him.

"GET BACK HERE!" he shouted as he chased after him.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Tory cried as he ran deeper into the forest. "TRENT! WHERE ARE YOU?! HELP ME!"

Thor only laughed at the Rockruff's pleas for help.

"There's no one coming for you, boy!" he shouted after him. "You're as good as caught!"

Tory panted as he kept running down the path, darting this way and that, trying to lose Thor as desperately as he could until he finally ducked into some bushes.

"Heheheh!" Thor chuckled with a glint in his eye. "Now I've got you!" He soon ran through the shrubs with a shout of "AHA!", only to realize that Tory was nowhere to be seen. All he could see was a pond, some rocks, and a hollow log with a bush and some red mushrooms with white spots growing out of the rotted bark. Thor only growled before he started taking in a deep breath with his nose.

 **Thor used ODOR SLEUTH**

As Thor began to sniff the ground in order to catch Tory's scent, what he didn't seem to realize was that Tory was actually hiding inside the hollow log, trying hard to stay silent as he watched Thor walk by. He practically didn't even breathe as he waited for the Mightyena to leave...and he silently gasped as he didn't see any sign of him.

 _'I don't hear him,'_ he thought as he began to take a peek outside. _'Did he give up?'_

Unfortunately for him, he soon got his answer when he saw a familiar brown paw step in front of the log's opening, and soon, Thor poked his head inside with a malicious grin.

"Peek-a-boo," he said, causing Tory to gasp as he tried to back away. "All right, boy. No more games! You've stalled long enough." He then reached his paw in to grab Tory. "Lady Selena does not like to be kept waiting, and she's angry enough alrea-"

Without warning, Tory growled before he lunged forward and chomped his fangs into Thor's foreleg.

 **Tory used BITE**

" **YOW!** " Thor yelled in pain as he pulled his paw out with Tory still clamping his jaws on it. "Why you little... **LET ME GO!** " On that, he threw Tory to the ground, causing him to let go before the shiny Mightyena lunged at him.

" **I'LL SHOW YOU A REAL BITE!** " he yelled, but Tory only glared up at him before he got to his paws, and then dodged to the side as Thor tried to snap his jaws down on him, only to miss. Then, Tory growled as he tackled Thor in the side, momentarily knocking him off balance, but the Rockruff had commited a slight error: in an attempt to injure Thor further, he bit down when he should've jumped away, and because he was not used to fighting, he didn't realize he had left himself until it was too late.

"Take THIS!" Thor shouted as he bit down on Tory's neck with fangs that crackled with electricity.

 **Thor used THUNDER FANG**

"AAAAAAAAAAAAGGH!" Tory screamed in pain as he felt the volts of electricity course through his body, so loud that practically any and every Pokemon in the forest could hear...including a certain Arcanine.

 **~PMD~**

Trent, still busy fighting off the rest of Thor's pack, gasped in shock as he heard that scream.

"TORY!" he cried while Loki, heavily scratched, bruise, and suffering a black eye, only laughed.

"Joke's on you, dumbass!" he boasted. "We were only a diversion! While you were busy with us, the boss went after the kid! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Uh...Loki?" asked one of the Mightyena, which caused Loki to look up from his laughing...only to squeak in fright when he saw flames beginning to seep out of Trent's mouth.

"Mommy...!" Loki squeaked as Trent opened his jaws and let out a jet of fire at the Mightyena pack!

 **Trent used FLAMETHROWER**

" **AAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!** " the pack screamed as the flames hit them, and soon after, a loud explosion shook the forest while Trent turned and leapt over the rock wall...leaving the pack thoroughly.

"Loki..." muttered one of the Mightyena.

"Don't say it," Loki grumbled while Trent kept running toward the direction Tory ran off in.

 _'Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay, PLEASE be okay!'_

 **~PMD~**

"Oof!" Tory grunted as he thrown against a tree by Thor, then slid to the ground and twitched in pain. "Unh...I...I can't move..."

"I'll say this much, boy," said Thor as he approached Tory, "you've got spirit, and I do admire that...but basic moves, like Bite and Tackle, only get you so far. Now...LET'S GO." He then picked up Tory with his mouth, causing Tory to grunt slightly in pain as he felt the shiny Mightyena's fangs squeezing into his sides, thankfully not piercing him. As Thor turned to leave, however...Trent soon leaped out of the bushes while giving a loud, furious roar!

"What the-?!" Thor questioned in shock.

"Trent!" Tory cried as the Arcanine grabbed Thor by the neck, causing him to drop Tory on the ground, before he pinned the shiny Mightyena to the grass.

"NO! NO, PLEASE!" Thor cried as he struggled to get out of Trent's grasp, but the Arcanine put his paw over his face while he had his jaw clamped on his throat. "PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! I'M SORRY! PLEASE, LET ME GO! DON'T GO KILL ME!"

"Too late to beg now, asshole!" Trent yelled. "You should've away while you could!" On that, he began to squeeze his jaws on Thor's neck, causing him to gag as blood began to seep out through the fur.

"TRENT, STOP!" Tory cried. "LET HIM GO! PLEASE! DON'T KILL HIM!"

Trent gasped silently in surprise at Tory's words.

 _"NO! STOP! DON'T KILL HIM!"_

Trent paused before he glanced down at Thor, who kept whimpering "Please don't kill me" over and over.

"But...if I let him go," Trent began, "he'll keep coming after you, and-"

"I don't care!" Tory interjected. "He can't fight anymore! Let him go!"

 _'...Hmph...he really is a human,'_ thought Trent before he sighed and released his hold on Thor's throat, causing him to cough and gasp for breath before he looked up at the Arcanine, who gave an imposing glare at him.

"You got lucky, this time," said Trent. "The kid's kindness is what saved your sorry ass. If I were you, I'd remember it the next time I tried to go after him again! **NOW BEAT IT!** And you better stay away from Tory!"

Thor soon scrambled to his feet before he turned and ran off, disappearing into the foliage while Tory shakily walked up to Trent, who looked down at him.

"...Why did you do that?" asked Trent.

"Do what?" asked Tory.

"Spare him," Trent replied. "You know he'll probably come after him, again! Why did you do that, knowing he's the bad guy?"

"...It's...it's because," Tory started, "where I come from...Pokemon are meant to be cherished...even if sometimes, they might cause problems."

A pause...but then Trent sighed again.

 _'Now I know he's a human,'_ he thought. _'Only a human, especially a human child, would ever treat a Pokemon with kindness like that...because they're just so pure.'_

"...Can you walk?" Trent asked.

"Yeah, a little," Tory replied. "I think that Thunder Fang might be wearing off."

"Good," said Trent. "Let's get moving then."

On that, the two headed back toward the road and continued on their way to Windfall Village. Later that day, Trent and Tory continued on their journey...even as the sun began to set and dusk was soon upon them. The sky had turned a brownish-orange color and the stars soon began to appear.

All of a sudden, Tory opened his mouth and let out a yawn that might have been bigger than the yawn he had made last night, which caused Trent to glance back at him before he looked up at the sky, then he sighed before he looked at Tory again.

"I think we better stop for the night," said Trent. "If we rest now, we'll arrive at Windfall Village by tomorrow morning. Sound good?"

"Yeah," Tory nodded before he yawned again.

 **~PMD~**

Meanwhile, not too far away from Windmill Village, a campfire had been set up by two other travelers.

"Aah...well, we're almost back home."

"Hmph..."

The two are revealed to be a Gallade with a dark red cape around his shoulders and a Blaziken with a scar on his right pectoral and another scar on his left cheek and his left leg in bandages. He also had a gray scruffy mustache and beard, showing his age.

 **Ethan**

 **Leader of the Gallade Guild**

 **William**

 **Retired explorer/Ethan's mentor**

"Oh, sure," Ethan smirked as he leaned back against a tree. "The 'Grumpy Old Man' routine. Well, Pops, that's not gonna ruin my mood, tonight."

"I'm too old to be fightin', boy," said William in a gruff voice.

"I don't know what you're complaining about," said Ethan. "You held your own pretty good, today."

"I ain't lookin' for no damn praise from some reckless brat like you!" William barked before he gestured to his bandaged leg. "Look at my leg, boy! Damn Garchomp could-a yanked it right off! Think that shit's funny?!"

"Well, at least you're still alive, Old Man," Ethan replied, still not taking it seriously. "And Vivian will heal that up for you."

"That girls works too hard as it is!" William argued as he put a claw on his forehead. "I don't need the both of us making her job, and neither does she! Bless her soul, though..." He then looked Ethan right in the eye. "The point is...I know you're a guildmaster, now, but you gotta start actin' like it! That means you gotta stop actin' like such a hotshot!"

Ethan only blinked at William as he kept lecturing him.

"It was your father's last wish that you be put in charge... _don't_ make him regret it."

Ethan looked down at the ground at this.

"...I know my Dad made the right decision," Ethan said, "and I'll prove it, Old Man."

"For his sake, you better be right," William replied. "Now get some sleep."

 **~PMD~**

Back with Tory and Trent, the two had also made a campfire as they both lied on the ground, the latter staring up at the stars and the half-moon while the former curled up at his side, quietly snoozing away.

 _'We'll be arriving at the village tomorrow,'_ Trent thought. _'...I never thought that I'd be going back...but I do know one thing.'_

For a moment, an image appeared in Trent's head: three shadowy figures, one standing nearby in tears, the other lying on the ground...and the third, standing in between them...with a bloody elbow blade.

 _'Ethan's not gonna be happy to see me...'_

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_

* * *

Review, please!


	3. Ch 3- Welcome to Windfall Village!

POKÉMON MYSTERY DUNGEON:

STRONG HEARTS

* * *

Pokemon © Nintendo, Game Freak

Story and characters © Me

* * *

 _Previously on Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Strong Hearts, Trent and Tory had begun their journey to Windfall Village, where the latter attempts to seek refuge from Selena's pack of Mightyena scouts. Not willing up to give up their target so easily, Thor, the leade of the scouts, attempts to separate the two in order to capture Tory easier. While the pack distracts Trent, Thor goes after our young hero, but in doing so, he triggers the child's instincts to fight back. Despite his efforts, though, Tory is no match for the more experience Thor and his Thunder Fang attack and is defeated easily._

 _Before Thor can take the boy away, however, Tory is saved by the timely arrival of Trent, who tries to finish Thor off once and for all, but due to Tory's kindness, as well as some sort of past event in Trent's life, the Arcanine ultimately lets Thor go, warning him that if he ever goes after the young Rockruff, again, there will not be mercy. After walking a long way, Trent and Tory decide to stop for the night, for they would be arriving in Windfall Village the following morning._

 _Unbeknownst to the duo, Ethan, the leader of the Gallade Guild and his mentor, a grouchy old Blaziken named William, are also headed back to the village from a mission of some sort._

 _What does Selena want with Tory? Will Thor forsake our hero's kindness and continue to pursue him? And what happened between Trent and Ethan in the past?_

 _All this and more, coming up..._

* * *

 **~Chapter 3: Welcome to Windfall Village!~**

* * *

The sun slowly rose over the grassy hills while the wind blew calm and gentle. Thor sat beneath the young oak tree before he turned to look at his pack, who all curled up around each other and snored loudly while dreaming of their next meal. The shiny Mightyena, usually surly and cold, smiled softly at his packmates before looking out to the sunrise, and as he did, he thought back to when Tory cried out Trent to spare his life.

 _"DON'T KILL HIM!"_ the boy's voice echoed in his mind, causing Thor to sigh.

"...That boy," he spoke. "He is kind...too kind, I'm afraid." He then looked up at the orange sky. "Sorry, Tory...while I do appreciate you convincing that Arcanine to spare me...I'm afraid that's not how this world works."

On that, he turned to wake his pack.

 **~PMD~**

Concurrently, at Selena's castle, the Delphox was walking down a flight of stone stairs with Bartholomew nervously following after her. They soon came upon a wooden door, which Selena threw open to find an Oranguru, sitting in the middle of the floor with his hands together and his legs crossed. His eyes were opened, but they were a silvery white color, and he had a long beard that had a dark red band tied at the bottom of it.

 **Shazar**

 **6-century-old seer**

 **Selena's former mentor**

"I am losing my patience with you, you ancient ape," Selena sneered at the primate. "You said that the boy would be in my clutches! Instead, he gets rescued by a meddling Arcanine and is on his way to Windfall Village!"

"...I did say that the boy would be in your clutches," Shazar said. "However, I did not say that he would be in your clutches the moment he appeared in this world."

"Why didn't you tell me that sooner?!" the Delphox questioned while Bartholomew stood behind her. "I wouldn't have sent my scouts out there if I had known that!"

"I understand your impatience, child," said Shazar, which caused Selena to lower her ears as she looked down. "Without the one known as 'Tory', you cannot summon _them_..."

Selena's eyes began to soften as the Oranguru continued to speak.

"And without them, you cannot have what you desire more than anything..."

Selena's paws clenched tightly into fists and even began to shake a bit, while Shazar calmly closed his blind eyes.

"My mind's eye has seen you on your paws and knees, bowing for forgiveness," Shazar said, "but I already forgave you, my dear...for I know what you want..."

Selena sniffled as she screwed her eyes shut to keep her tears from falling, but that quickly failed, for her tears began to fall anyway while Bartholomew stood behind her, blinking worriedly.

"You want to see this world...BE DESTROYED!" Shazar exclaimed.

 **~PMD~**

Later that same morning, as the wind blew scattered flower petals and leaves and the Butterfree fluttered along the breeze, Trent softly walked down the path through Windfall Forest while Tory remained curled up, asleep on his back. The Arcanine glanced back and smiled at the Rockruff gently before he looked ahead, and once he made it out of the shadows, the sunlight hit his face, which caused him to momentarily screw his eyes shut, but once they adjusted, he looked up and gasped as a broad smile appeared on his face.

"Tory!" Trent called. "Hey, Tory, wake up!"

"Hmm...?" Tory hummed as he sleepily opened one eye.

"Come and look at this!" Trent told him, which prompted Tory to yawn before he sleepily climbed up on the Arcanine's head, and once he did, his eyes went wide upon seeing a wide open field with the wind blowing the grass around in waves, a single lone tree sitting on a hill, a huge, dense forest to the east, and to the west, they saw a path leading toward a large wall made entirely of logs.

"Wow!" Tory exclaimed. "You can see almost everything from here!"

"See that big wall made of logs?" asked Trent. "Windfall Village is behind it! We're almost there!"

Tory gasped, his eyes sparkling in delight before he jumped off of Trent's head and landed on the ground.

"YAHOO!" he cheered as he ran off. "Come on, Trent, let's go! Last one there is a rotten Exeggcute!"

"Oh, it's on, now!" Trent exclaimed before he began to run after the young Rockruff (of course, he held back on the speed a bit, just to give the boy a chance). As the two ran their little race, Tory looked up at the Arcanine with a gleeful smile on his face, which made Trent smile back at him. However, for some reason, it seemed rather...melancholic.

 _'Hmph...he's such a nice li'l guy...'_ he thought. _'The kid's really grown on me in such a short time. It's too bad...I have to say goodbye to him...'_

 **~PMD~**

Meanwhile, behind the walls of Windfall Village, a Krokorok sat in a booth next to the big, red gate, his chin propped onto his hand as he snored lightly.

 **Cyrus**

 **Village job-dealer/gatekeeper**

"Cyrus?"

Cyrus snorted as his blue eyes suddenly shot open and saw a Shiny Audino wearing a pink cape with white edges and a pale lavender hood that was fastened with a red gemstone that had two little white wings on the sides.

 **Vivian**

 **Village healer/orphanage caretaker**

"Are you sleeping on the job, again?" asked the Audino as she crossed her arms with this joking smirk on her face.

"Asleep?!" asked Cyrus, nervously. "Me?! N-no! I mean-"

"Heehee!" giggled Vivian. "Oh, relax, I won't tell anybody!"

"Phew..." Cyrus sighed in relief. "Thanks a lot, Vivian."

"No problem," said Vivian. "Can you open the gate for me? Ethan and William are coming home, today, and I wanted to be the first to welcome them back home."

"Aww, well aren't you sweet?" asked Cyrus in an endearing manner as he pulled a nearby lever, which caused the gate to slowly creak open. However, as it did, a set of brown paws suddenly stepped inside the gate, and before Vivian could process it, Tory suddenly leaped up at her.

"I win!" he cheered, causing Vivian to yelp before he unwittingly tackled her to the ground.

"Vivian!" Cyrus cried while the Audino lied there, blinking in confusion while holding Tory, who gasped upon realizing what he had done, in her arms.

"Oh, my gosh!" cried Tory. "I'm sorry, ma'am! Are you OK?!"

A pause...but then Vivian burst into laughter before she sat up, still holding the Rockruff in her arms.

"Well," she started, "I certainly wasn't expecting _that!_ "

Tory smiled up at Vivian, as did Cyrus.

"Hi, I'm Vivian!" Vivian greeted. "And what's your name, little guy?"

"I'm Tory," Tory replied, just as someone else entered the gate, which caused Vivian and Cyrus to look up and see that it was Trent, who gasped upon seeing them.

"T...Trent...?!" Vivian whispered.

"Oh!" Trent exclaimed, sheepishly. "Uh...hey, Vivian." That's when he noticed Cyrus, who stared at the Arcanine with a gaping jaw. "Oh, and Cyrus! You evolved since I last saw you!"

A pause...but then Vivian's and Cyrus's eyes began to well up with tears while Tory blinked in confusion. Before too long, the pair suddenly threw themselves at Trent, who stumbled as they sobbed loudly.

"WHERE DID YOU GO?!" they both cried, while Trent chuckled as he held them both in his paws with tears of his own forming in his eyes, and meanwhile, Tory smiled at them. Although he didn't really understand what was happening, he could see that they were good friends, so he was happy for them, at least.

"Dude, where have you been?!" Cyrus asked.

"You've been gone for a whole year, Trent!" Vivian added. "Where have you been living?!"

"Uh...well...I live...kind of nearby," Trent answered, although he seemed to stumble on his words. "But look, I'd love to stay and catch up with you guys, but you know I can't-"

"Trent?"

Trent tensed up before he turned around, while Vivian and Cyrus gasped upon seeing Ethan and William, both of whom were gaping at the Arcanine with bugged-out eyes.

"Uh-oh...!" Cyrus muttered with dread.

"Oh, crap..." Trent cursed under his breath before he turned around with a forced smile. "Uh...Ethan! Good to see ya!" He then turned to William. "And...hey, William! You're still alive, you old bird! Heheheheheh..." He then gulped, nervously...while Ethan gritted his teeth and his eyes flashed red. Then, without warning, he lunged at Trent and punched him across the jaw, which caused him to tumble to the ground.

"WHAT THE FLYING FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" the Gallade questioned.

"ETHAN, NO!" Vivian cried.

"DUDE, ARE YOU NUTS?!" Cyrus shouted.

"STOP IT, YOU MORON!" William yelled as he grabbed Ethan from behind.

"TRENT!" Tory cried as he ran to the Arcanine's side. "Trent, are you okay?!"

"What the-?" Ethan muttered.

"And who is this young-un?" asked William.

"Urgh..." Trent groaned as he got to his feet, wiping some blood off his lip as he did. "Ethan...this is Tory. I found him in Windfall Forest."

"What?" Vivian asked, concerned. "What was he doing there?"

"Like I said, I found him there," said Trent. "I have no idea how he ended up in the forest...all I know is that he needs help and this is the only place I could bring him to." He then looked to the others. "I have no right to ask this of any of you...especially after what I did. I know I shouldn't be here." He then heaved a small sigh. "Which is why...I'm leaving Tory with you guys."

"W-wait, what?!" Tory asked. "You're just gonna leave me here?! But Trent-"

"Hey!" Trent barked. "Don't you start, got that?!"

Tory immediately shut his mouth at that while Trent looked at Ethan, who glared at him with crossed arms.

"So...what do you say, Ethan?" the Arcanine asked, causing the others to look at the adolescent Gallade, who heaved a sigh of resignation.

"You don't need to twist my arm, OK?" he asked. "The kid can stay here."

Trent heaved a sigh of relief at that.

"Thank you, Ethan," he said.

"...And...uh..." Ethan muttered as he scratched the back of his head. "You know, Trent...at the risk of sounding awkward...you can come back, you know. I know I punched you, but that was due to some pent-up anger-"

"Don't lie, Ethan," Trent interjected. "You can try put it any way you want...but I can't come back. Even if you do forgive me for what I did, I can't." He then looked down at the ground, somberly. "I can never forgive myself for what happened, that day..."

"Trent, are you STILL blaming yourself for what happened?" asked Vivian, worriedly. "It was a year ago, now!"

"It was a freak accident, Trent," said Cyrus. "Nobody saw it coming."

"I should have..." Trent whispered. "...I was too arrogant..."

"Trent, I-" Ethan started, only for the Arcanine to stop him, once more.

"Please, take care of Tory for me," said Trent.

"...Okay," Ethan replied without argument.

"But...but Trent, I-" Tory started.

"No buts, Tory," Trent scolded, lightly. "Please...just stay in the village and be good. Promise me, okay?"

Tory stared up at Trent with droopy ears and a sagging tail before he looked away.

"Okay," he said. "I promise."

"Tory, listen," Trent said. "I wouldn't leave you here if I didn't trust these guys. I've known them for years. They're good folks."

William, Vivian, and Cyrus all smiled while Ethan remained stoic.

"They'll take good care of you," Trent continued. "They might even help you get back home. That's why I brought you here, right? You wanna go home, right?"

"...Yeah...I wanna go home," Tory said, although rather tearfully, "but...but I'm gonna miss you, Trent...!"

"...I'm gonna miss you, too, kid," said Trent as he gently cupped Tory's chin under his paw, causing the human-turned-Rockruff to look up at him as tears spilled from his eyes, but the Arcanine gave him a reassuring smile. "But I need you to be strong for me, now, okay?"

"...Mm-hmm...!" Tory nodded with a small sniffle.

"Good to hear," Trent said as he turned to leave. "Well...goodbye Tory...and good luck."

With that, he walked away while the others stared after him. Vivian wiped her eyes, trying her hardest not to cry again, while Cyrus was already blubbering. William sighed as he shook his head while Ethan just kept staring after Trent with that same stoic expression. As for Trent, however...his bottom lip trembled as he kept walking away...and beads of tears soon fell from his eyes.

"...Well, Tory," Ethan said, causing Tory to look up at him with tears still falling from his own eyes in waterfalls, "let's go. Time to get you settled into your new home."

Tory sniffled as he wiped his eyes while Vivian gently petted his head.

"Oh, sweetie, it'll be okay," the Audino reassured. "We'll make sure you feel right at home, here!"

"...Okay," Tory said as he followed the older Pokémon into the village gates, which Cyrus soon closed.

As they entered, Tory saw many Pokemon crossing the cobblestone roads that led to different buildings and huts. There was a building in the shape of a Slurpuff, where Tory could smell the sweet smell of baked goods such as cakes, pies, and cookies, as well as a building in the shape of a Kecleon, where he could see two Kecleon (one a darker shade of green than the one on the counter) speaking with a Sneasel. Then there was a building in the shape of a Midnight Lycanroc, where one such Pokémon snored as he sat at the booth. There was also a building in the shape of a Spinda's head, a dome-like building with a green roof, and finally, a building that looked like a Shiny Audino.

This is Windfall Village. The residents of this place are friendly and welcoming, as are the local shopkeepers...some more than others, anyway. There is also the local dojo, where Pokémon come to brush up on their moves. Then there's the local bakery, which served all kinds of delicious treats, as well as the Spinda Café, where the villagers often hung out, not to mention Gallade Guild Headquarters, too, and of course, the local orphanage where Vivian works.

Whether it be eggs waiting to hatch or young children, big and small, all youngsters are cared for here. Villagers also come here, often to get healed by Vivian whenever they are sick or injured since she's the closest thing they have to a doctor.

This is also where Tory is going to stay, at least for the time being.

"Here's your room, Tory," Vivian said as she opened a door to a room with sand-colored walls, pink carpeting on the floor, some books on the shelf, and a toy box. However, what caught Tory's eye most was the fact that the room had two other residents: a Vulpix with fur as white as snow and fluffy tails and a Litten, both of them lying on soft hay beds.

"Who are those two?" asked Tory.

"Oh!" Vivian exclaimed. "Right! Well, they're your roommates. The Vulpix is Nikki and the Litten is Jose. I'd put you in a room of your own, but there are no single rooms available. I'm sure that they won't mind you staying here, though!"

Nikki blinked at Tory, curiously, while Jose, whose back was turned, sleepily opened up one eye.

"I'll just leave you three to get to know each other," said Vivian. "Be nice to each other, okay?" She then turned and walked out of the room. "Meanwhile, I'm off to look at William's leg...and maybe give Ethan an earful while I'm at it."

As Vivian left, Tory stared off after her, nervously.

"Hey, _perro_."

"EEP!" Tory yelped as he turned to Jose, who sat up from his bed and glared at him.

"You gonna sit there, gawking like an idiot, all day?" the Litten asked.

"Jose!" Nikki scolded. "Miss Vivian just told us to be nice! Look at him! He's probably nervous! We should make him feel welcome, not like an outsider!" She then turned to Tory and gave him a reassuring smile.

"Sorry about Jose," she apologized. "He can be a little brash, but he means well! He really is a nice guy!"

"Yeah... _lo siento_ ," Jose said. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay," Tory replied.

"Anyway, I'm Nikki!" Nikki exclaimed. "Although I think Miss Vivian already told you my name...still, I hope we get to be good friends!"

"And you can always come to me if someone gives you trouble," Jose said with a bit of a smug grin. "Just so you know, _amigo_."

"Uh...thanks, Jose," said Tory, although he seemed to have a skeptical look. "I'll keep that in mind."

"What's with that look on your face?!" asked Jose as he got up in Tory's face, which caused him to laugh. "You calling me a liar?!"

"Hahahahahaha!" laughed Nikki.

"And what are you laughing at, Nikki?!" Jose questioned.

As the Litten went to go yell at the Vulpix, Tory couldn't help smiling at them.

 _'This isn't so bad, I guess,'_ he thought. _'At least I made two new friends...but still...why was I turned into a Pokémon? And why was I brought here to this world? I have a feeling I'll find out, the longer I stay here. Until then...I guess I'll just have to go about each day like I've always lived here...even though it's gonna take some getting used to.'_

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_

* * *

About time I updated this one.

Review, please!


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